Munich: putting the style into lifestyle.

Lifestyle, joie de vivre or lebensart – whatever you call it, Munich has it in spades. It might be down to the clear blue skies or simply the city's beauty, but one thing's for certain: the people of Munich always like to show their best side, whether they're in a beer garden, on one of the exclusive shopping streets, or in Bayern Munich's stadium.

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A modern, cosmopolitan city with a big heart and a long heritage, as suave as it is easygoing, buzzing and yet tranquil. Munich is Germany's lifestyle capital. You don't have to be rich and beautiful to feel right at home in Munich, but it doesn't hurt. Besides, these characteristics aren't confined to strict dictionary definitions. Rich is he who has the time to leisurely amble through the splendid city centre, stopping here and there just to soak up the atmosphere. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all. That said, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful squares in Germany has to be Marienplatz square – it is the heart of Munich and is home to the Old and New Town Halls. The town hall glockenspiel is as much part of Munich's identity as the Hofbräuhaus beer hall or the iconic Church of Our Lady, whose green dome-crested towers can be seen for miles around. Browsing the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt is a feast for all the senses. There's simply everything on offer at the city's famous food market – from traditional Bavarian specialities to exotic delicacies. But take note, bargaining and haggling have no place in the Munich lifestyle – so don't be tempted to try, least of all on the luxury shopping boulevards such as Ludwigstrasse, Maximilianstrasse, Kaufinger Strasse or the Tal. Everything on sale in these streets has a high price to match its high quality, from the latest fashions to wonderful antiques. For a far more affordable, not to mention more relaxed, shopping experience, head to Munich's pub and club quarter, which is no longer confined to the trendy Schwabing district, but also extends around Glockenbachviertel, Gärtnerplatz square and Müllerstrasse. The area is as renowned for its party atmosphere as it is for its alternative shops, its relaxed atmosphere and its vibrant LGBT scene.

A trip to the English Garden doesn't cost you a penny and Munich's very own piece of paradise, situated between the Isar and the city centre, is the ultimate chill-out zone. From lazing around or watching people master the latest craze of slacklining (better still, have a go yourself) to the insane fun of surfing the Eisbach river, anything goes in the park. Add to that two of Munich's most beautiful beer gardens, one at the Chinese Pagoda, the other at a picturesque lakeside spot, and you've got the perfect recipe for a relaxing afternoon. These are the beer gardens where you'll find an eclectic crowd who live life to the full in the shade of ancient chestnut trees. That's the Munich way. The beer gardens came to be called cellars or keller – as in Salvatorkeller, Löwenbräukeller and Hofbräukeller – because brewers once kept their beer underground to keep it cool and soon hit upon the idea of selling it from the very same spot. This was the start of a sacred tradition that, as luck would have it, is alive and well among locals today.

The people of Munich are also proud of the city's museums, many of which are of international standing, such as the Deutsches Museum, the world's biggest science and technology museum, the Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek, the Pinakothek der Moderne and the Lenbachhaus Museum. Then there's the Glyptothek Museum, the State Collections of Antiques and the Brandhorst Museum with its breathtaking collection of modern art from 1945 onwards. Here in Munich's Art Quarter, however, you'll also find charming little bars, cosy cafés and pretty boutiques, yet another example of how the Munich lifestyle combines culture with the finer things in life. The BMW Museum has the city's automotive heritage covered, while the stars of Bayern Munich show teams visiting the Allianz Arena another side to the city's unique lifestyle: what it's like to always be on top. Even if you're not a Bayern Munich fan, it's still well worth trying to get a ticket to see them play. The stadium atmosphere alone is world-class and guaranteed to give you goosebumps. And you won't be surprised to discover that the Allianz Arena is one of the world's most spectacular stadiums. It is, after all, in Munich.

Bavaria Filmstadt : the kingdom of illusions

Do you want to stand on a real film set where famous movies have been shot? Do you want to see the makers of movies and TV shows at work?

All this and more is possible at Bavaria Filmstadt. A tour guide will explain in detail how the great film classics and TV series are produced. On the tour of the production area, you'll get to see the amazing tricks that the special effects experts have up their sleeves and see things most mortals never get the chance to. The ultimate highlight is the Bavaria Stunt Show, a breathtaking spectacle both for action-film fans and everybody else. A visit to the 4D cinema with its sensational sound system is another experience not to be missed.

Allianz Arena: Home advantage

For all fans of the beautiful game, the chance to soak up the atmosphere at the awe-inspiring Allianz Arena is one not to be missed. Whether it's a Bundesliga battle, Champions League thriller or an international game, any match held in this masterpiece by star Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron is sure to be an unforgettable experience. If you wish to enjoy the ultimate buzz, deafening chants and goosebumps galore along with 75,000 other spectators, this is the ideal place. Guided stadium tours offer a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into one of Europe's most modern and, as many would have it, beautiful stadiums.

Munich Pinakotheken galleries: a world of art in Maxvorstadt

Munich Art Quarter is a must for any art lover. It comprises the three Pinakotheken galleries (Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek, Pinakothek der Moderne), together with the Brandhorst Museum, the Antiquities Collections, the Glyptothek museum of Greek and Roman sculptures and the Municipal Gallery in the Lenbachhaus.

The Alte Pinakothek is one of the world's biggest and most important museums for art from the Middle Ages to the mid-18th century. Directly opposite, the Neue Pinakothek features works from the 19th and early 20th centuries, while the Pinakothek der Moderne next door features collections of contemporary art from various genres.

English Garden Munich: a haven of relaxation in the big city

Covering an area of more than four square kilometres on the western banks of the river Isar, the English Garden is one of the largest inner city parks in the world. This delightful attraction holds a spellbinding appeal during the summer, but is also not without its charms in winter. One of the main attractions of the park is the Chinese pagoda with its famous beer garden. Visitors can even enjoy surfing on the Eisbach rapids or see a classical play at the tucked-away little amphitheatre.

Marienplatz : Munich's magnificent main square

Mary is the Patrona Bavariae, the patron saint of Bavaria, and Marienplatz with its towering St. Mary's column is the oldest and most central square in the heart of Munich. At the centre of the pedestrian area, it provides a setting for a number of major events and is the ideal base from which to explore the city.

The square is dominated by the neo-Gothic New Town Hall with its imposing facade and the sound of the delightful carillon in the town hall tower. Close by are some of Munich's most exclusive shopping streets, markets and beer gardens, as well as the trio of famous city gates – Isartor, Sendlinger Tor and Karlstor.

The Hofbräuhaus beer hall: the measure of Munich

A truly unmissable Bavarian experience awaits at the famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall at Am Platzl in the old quarter. Originally a brewery, today it is an internationally acclaimed 'beer temple'. Locals can be seen dressed in traditional costume, drinking Munich beer from the famous Mass, a one-litre tankard, and enjoying traditional hearty specialities served up with a good dose of Bavarian hospitality. Probably the largest beer hall in the world serving some 30,000 guests every day, it is always noisy and full of beer-fuelled cheer.

The ancestral home of the Bavarian rulers: the Wittelsbach residence

The Wittelsbach residence in the city centre is a blend of Renaissance, baroque, rococo and classicist styles. It was once Munich's main palace and the home of Bavarian dukes, electors and kings. Originally built in 1385 as a moated castle, it was transformed into a magnificent royal residence reflecting the House of Wittelsbach's political ambitions and fondness for the arts. The extensive palace has been open to the public as a museum since 1920. The complex consists of ten courtyards, and there are 130 authentically furnished rooms to discover in one of the finest palace museums in Europe.

Pure driving pleasure: BMW Welt

See, hear, feel and experience mobility. A car collection point and themed attraction unlike any other in the world, BMW Welt brings this prestigious brand to life.

With a prime location close to the BMW corporate headquarters, museum and factory, BMW Welt is not just for car buffs and lovers of all things technical. It also offers a wide range of activities and regular special exhibitions, combining engineering, design and innovation with lifestyle, enterprise and culture, in a stunning, state-of-the-art building. Read more

Fatherly pride: Nymphenburg Palace

Nymphenburg Palace was built in 1664 for the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria as a gift to his wife Adelheid von Savoyen on the birth of the much longed-for heir to his throne, Max Emanuel. Once the summer residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty, it now forms a harmonious ensemble with the magnificent palace park and gardens and splendid smaller buildings such as Amalienburg hunting lodge and Badeburg House, and ranks among the foremost royal palaces in Europe. The state rooms, banqueting hall, Gallery of Beauties and palace park, one of the largest and most influential examples of landscape art in Germany, can still be seen today. Read more

A beer festival for the world: Oktoberfest

Munich is Germany's beer capital – and the Oktoberfest is a byword for beer all over the world. When the first Oktoberfest was held back in 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding, nobody could have dreamt it would go on to become such a famous event. Since that time, the world's biggest beer festival has been held every year in September/October on the Theresienwiese grounds, bringing smiles to people's faces in classic Bavarian style with oompah bands, beer fresh from the barrel and plenty of good cheer. Anyone interested in the history of the festival can find out more on a guided tour of the famous Wies'n site, available since 1995 in several languages.

A gourmet's paradise: the Viktualienmarkt food market

Nowhere else in Munich city centre offers a more exclusive and varied selection of specialities than the huge Viktualienmarkt. Visitors will find a whole host of stalls selling spices, game, fish, local and exotic fruit, flowers and plants, and much more. And it all looks as good as it tastes. Viktualienmarkt is also home to the city's most central beer garden where you can enjoy local beer and traditional Bavarian fare together with people from all walks of life. A number of traditional events such as the raising of the maypole, the brewer's day, summer festival and the 'Dance of the Market Women' are also held here.

24-hour party people: Glockenbachviertel and Gärtnerplatz

The area between Müllerstrasse, Frauenstrasse, Thalkirchnerstrasse and the river Isar, which also includes the Gärtnerplatzviertel, is known as the Isarvorstadt. This is Munich's trendiest district with its artists, alternative lifestyle, gay and lesbian community and music scene – everything is done differently in this über-cool part of the city. Munich's funnest district has something to suit all tastes and budgets – from rock to house music and from chill-out zone to party, with bars and clubs lined up one after another.

Identity and culture: the Jewish Museum

With three exhibition levels, the Jewish Museum offers wide-ranging insights into Jewish life and culture in Munich. Also geared towards younger audiences and providing in-depth information on Jewish heritage and religion, the museum makes it easier for visitors to find answers to even the most difficult questions. The permanent exhibition entitled 'Voices Places Times' focuses on Jewish history and culture in Munich. Seven installations featuring the voices of contemporary eyewitnesses, locations, pictures and objects open up new perspectives and trace the foundations of Jewish identity through to the present day.

Century-defining works: the Brandhorst Museum

In conjunction with the collection of the Pinakothek der Moderne, the Brandhorst Museum has added a fresh new dimension to the Munich Art Quarter with its impressive architecture and artworks.

Its paintings, sculptures and installations offer an aesthetic experience that few other collections can match: 700 milestones from the world of art since 1945 are on display in three exhibition spaces with an average floor-to-ceiling height of nine metres. Among the items on display are works by Cy Twombly, Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, Damien Hirst, Sigmar Polke and Bruce Nauman.

The Olympic Park

The Olympic Park was built for the 1972 Summer Olympic Games. The northern section of the site includes Olympic sports venues such as the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall and Olympic tower. To the south lies the Olympic Park with its hill and lake. Next to the park is the BMW Welt museum.

It's not only sporting events that take place on the 850,000m² site. Lots of cultural and community events, such as open-air concerts and flea markets, feature regularly on the calendar. The Olympic Park is also a focal point for all kinds of recreational sport. There's even a beer garden, and SeaLife Munich is there too.

German Museum

Munich boasts the world's largest science and technology museum, which features a wide range of technological marvels, experiments and much more besides.

With more than 50 themed areas, the German Museum provides inquisitive minds of every age with countless opportunities to explore the fascinating world of science and technology. It's got everything – artificial lightning measuring one million volts, aeroplane exhibits, a planetarium and an old mining tunnel, to name but a few examples.

Opening times:

daily 9am-5pm

Lenbachhaus

The Lenbachhaus gallery in Munich houses paintings and sculptures from classical modernism and the present day.

The original house was built in the 19th century for the 'painter prince' Franz von Lenbach. The gallery's collection of works by the Blue Rider artist group of Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter, Franz Marc, August Macke and Paul Klee is famed around the world. Masterpieces of 19th century painting and an extensive collection of international contemporary art are on display in the converted artist house and the new extension.

Alte Pinakothek

More than 700 paintings from 14th to 18th century Europe hang on the walls of the Alte Pinakothek gallery in Munich – and that's just the permanent exhibition.

The majority of the paintings on display are from the Renaissance period and the Dutch baroque movement. The collection includes masterpieces such as Dürer and Rembrandt's self-portraits, Altdorfer's 'The Battle of Alexander at Issus', Leonardo da Vinci's 'Madonna of the Carnation' and Tintoretto's humorous interpretation of Venus's adultery.

Opening times:

Wednesday-Sunday 10am-6pm, Tuesday 10am-8pm, Monday closed

Neue Pinakothek

Founded in the mid-19th century by King Ludwig I, the Neue Pinakothek in Munich was the first public museum in Europe dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.

Today the gallery's collection contains masterpieces from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, including famous paintings by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.

Opening times:

Thursday-Monday 10am-6pm, Wednesday 10am-8pm, Tuesday closed

Haus der Kunst

One of the world's leading galleries, the Haus der Kunst in the English Garden in Munich mounts retrospectives on contemporary artists as well as special themed exhibitions.

There's plenty to keep younger art enthusiasts entertained too. Art teachers and artists lead various workshops and fun interactive tours, which allow children to show their creative side.

Opening times:

Monday-Sunday 10am-8pm,Thursday 10am-10pm

Munich Residenz

The Munich Residence was the residential and government seat of the Bavarian dukes, prince-electors and kings from 1508 to 1918. Over the centuries the princes transformed a castle in the northeast corner of the fortification ("Neuveste", 1385) into a splendid seat of power and extended courtyards and gardens out into the city. Rooms and art collections from the Renaissance, early Baroque and Rococo eras through to Weimar Classicism stand as a testimony to the love of art and the political pretensions of the house of Wittelsbach. Today the Residence, together with the museums of the Bavarian Palace Department (Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés Theatre, Court Church) and various other cultural institutions, forms one of the largest museum complexes in Bavaria.

Munich Frauenkirche — The Cathedral of Our Dear Lady

With its onion-shaped towers, their green domes, the Devil´s Footstep and the view of the Alps, the imposing Late Gothic landmark at the Marienplatz in Munich is unparalleled. The cathedral was built by the Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1468–1494. Despite its capacity for 20,000 people, the place of worship shows an unusual “less is more” attitude. The 3 aisle brick construction, with choir stalls that are quintuple-cornered, houses the family vault of the Wittelsbach Elector family. It is not only the 100-metre onion domes, the numerous chapels and the precious artistic treasures that make this beautiful yet modest church special. Included among its legendary attractions are the Devil’s Footstep near the entrance and the fantastic view of Munich all the way to the Alps, which is available to anyone who climbs the southern tower.

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